Frontline Ukraine: Crisis in the Borderlands

The unfolding crisis in Ukraine has brought the world to the brink of a new Cold War. As Russia and Ukraine tussle for Crimea and the eastern regions, relations between Putin and the West have reached an all-time low. How did we get here? Richard Sakwa here unpicks the story of Russo-Ukrainian relations and traces the path to the recent disturbances through the events which have forced Ukraine, a country internally divided between East and West, to choose between closer union with Europe or its historic ties with Russia. As the first full account of the Ukraine crisis from the Euromaidan Protests to the catastrophe of MH17 and up to the October 2014 parliamentary elections, Frontline Ukraine explains the origins, developments and global significance of the internal and external battle for Ukraine. With all eyes focused on the region, Sakwa unravels the myths and misunderstandings of the situation, providing an essential and highly-readable account of the struggle for Europe s contested borderlands.

'Cool, balanced and well sourced…Sakwa gives the best analysis yet in book form' --Jonathan Steele, Guardian

'The great merit of Richard Sakwa s book is its willingness to challenge the prevailing wisdoms about the Ukraine crisis and to explain how its origins lie in the West s failure to create an equitable political and security order in Europe after the collapse of communism... Essential reading to understand the causes and complexities of the Ukraine crisis.' Angus Roxburgh

'In these fraught times, informed analysis of the causes and context of the crisis is invaluable... Sakwa's account of the crisis is a powerful critique of Western policy towards Ukraine and Russia.' John Barber, Times Higher Education

'Fascinating... an intelligent, well-researched and thoughtful attempt to explain the major crisis of our time. Anybody, whatever he or she might think of the issue, would benefit from reading it.' --Mail on Sunday

'Frontline Ukraine is a formidably powerful, well-argued and thoroughly sourced attempt to correct world opinion on the Ukrainian conflict. Even those who cannot accept Professor Sakwa s underlying case that the Ukrainian disaster has been brought about more by Western post-Cold War triumphalism than by President Putin s supposed imperialism will find invaluable data and perceptions in this brilliant and hard-hitting book.' --Neal Ascherson